Comrade Suseela Gopalan, senior leader of CPI(M), former Minister in LDF government in Kerala, Member of Parliament, former President of AIDWA and wife of Communist legend Com. A.K.Gopalan, passed away 20 years earlier on 19th December 2001. On her 20th death anniversary, I pay my respectful homage to Comrade Suseela Gopalan!

She had always been close to the working class and was formerly Chairman of the P and T Co-ordinating Committee Kerala. During her MP days, she took up a lot of issues of the workers in the Parliament and settled many of them. I had the opportunity to meet her and discuss the workers’ issues, while Com. AKG was alive and afterwards. She was always very helpful and took up issues with the government effectively.

Red Salute to Com. Suseela Gopalan!

The Senior Citizens Friends Welfare Association (SCFWA) , Kerala State Committee has called upon its units to organised massive dharnas in front of major Railway Stations in the state on 23rd December protesting against the withdrawal of the concessions granted to the senior citizens in the train fare. Women above the age of 58 were granted 50% concession and men above the age of 60 were granted 40% concession.

The withdrawal is completely anti- age old people. Strong protests are being made by senior citizens. The government should restore the concession in full.

The two days strike of Bank employees as per the call of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) on 16-17 December was a complete success as almost employees participated in the same.

I could attend the dharna by the striking workers in the Manachira corner at Kozhikode, address them and congratulate them.

I am at a loss to understand why my Facebook Account is being blocked again and again. Hence I will now focus on this blog. When Facebook page is ok, I will post there also.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the proposal to raise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years. This move would bring the legal age of marriage for women at par with men which is 21 years.

The move will now require a law to be tabled in Parliament to amend personal laws governing age of marriage such as the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, Special Marriage Act and personal laws such as the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

Currently, for Hindus Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, the Hindu Marriage Act sets 18 years as the minimum age of the bride and 21 years for the groom;

 in Islam, the personal laws lay down that the marriage of a minor who has attained puberty is considered to be of marriageable age.

The Special Marriage Act, 1954 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 also prescribe 18 and 21 years as the minimum age of consent for marriage for women and men, respectively.

Pensioners all over the country will be observing /celebrating the Pensioners’ Day on 17th December in remembrance of the ‘Nakara’ judgment of Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court on 17th December 1982, which is treated as the ‘Magna carta’ of the pensioners.

About 10 lakh Bank workers as per the call of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) went on on a two day strike from today, 16th December 2021 against the government’s ill-advised move to destroy the PSU Banks and hand over them to private corporates.

I conveyed the greetings on behalf of NCCPA to the striking workers, who have been holding a largely attended meeting near the Mananchira Maidan, Kozikode.

Modi govt refuses to restore train concessions to senior citizens. Condemnable decision. Expressstrong protest.

Senior citizens were granted concessions in train fare since more than two decades. Earlier, the concessions were granted to men aged 65 and women aged 58. The required age for men were reduced after many representations. Till two years ago women aged 58 and above were granted 50% concession and 40% concessions to men aged 60 and above. Representations were made to grant 50% concessions to men also.
After BJP came in to power, it started creating clever moves to take away the concessions. First it was complicating the booking of tickets both direct and online by putting an option due to which the passengers were to specifically make an option for concession. Those who were not aware were compelled to pay the full charge.
Next step was withdrawing the concession in February 2020 by a post in the Railway website withdrawing the concessions to senior citizens and other certain categories citing Covid situation. It was a clever move that too secretly.

But even after situation eased and train started running, the concessions are not restored. Now, to a question in Parliament the real colour of the govt has been exposed, when the Railway Minister refused to restore concession.

The govt’s intention is very clear. Railways are being made ready for privatisation. The private companies will not be prepared for granting conessions as it will reduce their profit.

More than 4 lakhs vacancies exist in Railways without being filled causing acute shortage of staff even in operations side. Posts are not being filled up due to 2 main reasons. Private corporates want to run with less staff.

Another reason is that when vacancies are being filled up, reservations have to be made to SC, ST and other reserved categories by govt. Private corporates will never agree to this. They may even retrench such officials as they tried in VSNL after Tata took it over.

Earlier 50% concessions were granted in fare by Air India to senior citizens above the age of 60. Now it has been curtailed with many restrictions. After take over by Tata, even this limited concession may disappear.

There is no doubt that Modi govt is taking away the rights and concessions granted to people to please the corporates. Strong protests and sustained struggles and exposure of govt is required to defend the rights of citizens, the correct way shown by the Kisans.

Whatever dues are to be paid by BSNL to govt, they are forcefully taken. But whatever is due from govt to BSNL, coming to more than Rs.39,000 crores, is not paid. Double role of the govt to further weaken the PSU. Govt is prepared to pay funds to retrench employees, but not prepared to provide funds for development and expansion.

SAVE BSNL, SAVE NATION.

In reply to a Parliament question, Minister of Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw has replied that many representations have been received to restore the train ticket concessions which were withdrawn during the period and the matter has been examined and not found feasible at present.

These concessions include to that of senior citizens. Women aged 58 and above were granted 50% and men aged 60 and above were granted 40% concession in train tickets. Senior Citizens Friends Welfare Association, Kerala had represented several times for the restoration of the same. Now the government has flatly refused restoration. This is a great injustice to the old aged people. Our strong protest.